Flashing electric lamp

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a flashing electric lamp comprising a casing closed at the front by a removable glass and at the rear by a standard electric lamp base. A flashing electronic tube is located inside the casing and forms with electric components a relaxation oscillator. The invention has particular utility for signalling by lights, for illuminated decorations and for illuminated panels.

United States Patent Girard [54] FLASHING ELECTRIC LAIVIP [72] Inventor: Jean Rene Marie Girard, Boulogne sur Seine, France [73] Assignee: Orthotron, Long-Jumeau, France [22] Filed: July 7, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 52,968

[30] Forelgn Application Priority Data July 9, 1969 France ..69 23304 [52] U.S.Cl. ..315/200 A,313/3l2,313/324, 315/72, 340/331, 340/333, 340/340 [51] Int. Cl. ..H05b 31/04 [58] FieldofSeai-ch ..315/100A, 100M, 200A, 32, 315/72; 340/331, 333, 340, 341, 342; 240/1, 10.66; 313/312, 318, 324; 240/1 1.4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,066,145 12/1936 Fink et a1 ..340/3 31 1 June 27, 1972 2,977,581 3/1961 Rodgers ..340/331 3,024,386 3/1962 Chauvineau.... ..340/331 3,162,376 12/1964 Furuya ..240/10.66

Primary Examiner-John Kominski Attorney-Robert E. Bums and Emmanuel J. Lobato ABSTRACT The invention relates to a flashing electric lamp comprising a casing closed at the front by a removable glass and at the rear by a standard electric lamp base. A flashing electronic tube is located inside the casing and forms with electric components a relaxation oscillator. The invention has particular utility for signalling by lights, for illuminated decorations and for illuminated panels.

1 l 10 Drawing Figures FLASHING ELECTRIC LAMP FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a flashing electric lamp, particularly for signalling by lights and for illuminated decora tion, and to illuminated panels constituted by an array of lamps of this kind.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION For signalling by lights and for illuminated decoration, use is frequently made of flashing electronic tubes which are excited by electric means known as relaxation oscillators," the tubes constituting the non-linear component of these means. Depending upon-the uses envisaged, each flashing tube is connected to the other components of the relaxation oscillator and to the source of electricalenergy by a cable of varying length. In all cases however, the flashing tube, which is more fragile the smaller its size, is badly protected against impacts and bad weather, and its fitting requires wiring operations for connecting it to the other components of the relaxation oscillator and to the source of electrical energy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention does not suffer from the above-stated disadvantages. It generally comprises a cylindrical or polygonal case or casing, the rear portion of which terminates in a standard electn'c-lamp base or cap (for example of the screw or bayonet type) whereas its front portion is closed by a removable glass, behind which is positioned at least one flashing electronic tube of known type. The casing also encloses electric components which are connected to each other and to each electronic tube so as to form with the latter at least one relaxation oscillator, to which electrical energy is passed by way of the base on the casing. 1

A flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention thus takes the form of an independent, compact, selfcontained and optionally fluid-tight unit, the utilization of which merely requires its standard base or cap to be inserted into a complementary standard electric-bulb socket. In other words, a flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention may beof a form substantially similar to that of one of the numerous known types of incandescent electric lamps, and it can be used as readily as these latter lamps for which it may be substituted in an existing installation comprising standard sockets fed, for example, by the AC. supply of the locality. It thus provides flashing lights originatingfrom a source of electric current, without requiring any wiring or electrical connecting operation other than that involved in the insertion of its cap into a complementary socket. On the other hand, the casing of the flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention provides perfect protection, against impacts and bad weather, to the electronic tube and the other components contained therein, particularly when the casing is fluid tight, protection also being afforded to the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the invention some embodiments of a flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a substantially cylindrical form of the flashing electric lamp of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows in elevation the cylindrical lamp seen in FIG. 1, its casing being shown in section along an axial plane;

FIG. 3 isthe circuit diagram of the relaxation oscillator incorporated in the lamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a plan view of the two sides of the plate supporting the various components of the relaxation oscillator incorporated in the lamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the two sides of the plate supporting the various components of the relaxation oscillator of another embodiment;

FIG. 8 illustrates part of a modification of the circuit illustrated in FIG. 3;

FIG. 9 illustrates a further modification of the circuit of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of a luminous panel made with flashing lamps according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS The flashing electric lamp, illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1 and 2, consists basically of a cylindrical case or casing l, the rear portion of which takes the form of a neck 2 of reduced cross section terminating in a standard electric-bulb cap or base 3, which is here coated with, for example, a thick inner layer 7 of insulating varnish which at the same time provides a seal. In the embodiment illustrated, the cap or base is of the screw type. It could however, be replaced by any other standard type of electric-bulb cap, and in particular by a bayonet-type cap. The front open portion of the case 1 is closed by a dished glass 4, which is screwed on to the front open end of the case 1 by means of a screw-thread 5 so as to clamp a toroidal sealing ring 6 against said front portion of the case 1. The case I 2 and the glass 4 are preferably made of a molded insulating material, and in particular of glass, wholly or in part, or preferably of a synthetic material especially of a self-extinguishing type. The plug 7 of insulating material which closes the rear portion 2 of the case and provides a seal and blocks the screwed cap 3 in position, is obtained by pouring an insulating material into this cap after the connections have been placed in position. Near the forward open end of the case 1 and in the interior thereof there is fixed, by any suitable means, a plate 8 of insulating material, particularly self-extinguishing synthetic material, this plate 8 being arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the cylindrical case 1, that is to say, parallel to the front face 4' of the dished glass 4. In the embodiment illustrated, a flashing electronic tube 9 is fitted on that side of the insulating plate that is presented to the glass 4. In the arrangement under consideration, the flashing electronic tube is basically constituted by a small horseshoeshaped glass tube the ends of the two branches of which are fitted with main electrodes 10 and '10, between which is disposed an auxilary priming electrode 11, these three electrodes being soldered for example into a three-pole connection tab 12 made of insulating material, and particularly of ceramic material, the pins of which are in turn inserted in sockets 13a to 13 set in the insulating plate 8 and provided with soldering vanes on that side of the plate remote from the glass 4. This latter side of the insulating plate 8 is also provided with other soldering vanes and supports for various components 14, 14 etc., and various electrical components, which will be specified later, are connected to each other through said soldering vanes 14, 14' in particular and to the flashing electronic tube 9 through the soldering vanes 13a to 13c so as to form a relaxation oscillator. Electrical energy can be transmitted to the oscillator by way of the cap 3 and of two insulated leads l5 and 15 running respectively to the two poles of said cap 3 and to corresponding soldering vanes on the insulating plate 8.

As shown in FIG. 3, the relaxation oscillator contained in the electric lamp illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, also comprises in addition to the flashing tube 9, an electrical-energy storage unit constituted by a condenser 16, the two plates of which are connected respectively to the main electrodes 10 and 10' of the flashing tube 9 on the one hand, and, on the other, through the leads 15 and 15' to the two poles of an A.C. source of any frequency but particularly industrial frequency (50 or 60 cycles). Between the lead 15 and the corresponding plate of the condenser 18 are inserted a fuse 17, a charging resistor 18 and a dry rectifier 19. A resistor 20 and a spark-arrester or quenching means 21 having a priming voltage lower than the peak voltage produced by the source of electrical energy, are interconnected in series between the two plates of the condenser 16 (connection shown in solid lines in FIG. 3). The point common to the components 20 and 21 is connected through a condenser 22 to the primary winding of a transformer 23, the secondary winding of which is connected to the priming electrode 11 of the flashing tube 9.

When the flashing lamp illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.has been screwed by its cap or base into a complementary screwtype socket which is itself supplied with the local AC. voltage, of 220 volts and 50 cycles for example, the relaxation oscillator contained in said lamp operates in the following manner. The mains voltage begins to charge the condenser 16 through the charging resistor 18 and the dry rectifier 19, so that the voltage at the terminals of the spark-arrester 21 in turn increases progressively and the condenser 22 is at the same time charged through the same resistor 20. When the voltage at the terminals of the spark-arrester 21 reaches its priming voltage, it becomes conducting and the condenser 22, previously charged, discharges through said spark-arrester with the result that a current impulse is generated in the primary winding of the transformer 23 thus producing, in its secondary winding, a voltage impulse which is applied to the priming electrode of the flashing tube 9. The low ionization thus produced in the flashing tube 9 enables the condenser 16 to discharge through said tube 9 which then produces a vivid flash of light which is projected from the lamp through the front face 4' of its glass 4. The condenser 16 having been thus discharged, the spark-arrester 21 becomes insulating again, and the above-described cycle is then repeated at a periodicity which depends upon the ratings and characteristics of the various components of the relaxation oscillator.

The connection shown in FIG. 3 can be varied as shown in FIG. 8 to enable it to be supplied both by an AC. voltage of l volts and by an A.C. voltage of 220 volts, simply by displacing the fuse 17. In the position of the fuse 17, illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 8, the connection coincides virtually with that of FIG. 3 (220 volts supply). For theposition shown in broken lines (17'), a second charging resistor 18, a second condenser 16' and a second dry rectifier'19', arranged to con-- stitute, with the first rectifier 19, a voltage doubler (Schenkel arrangement) enable the first condenser 16 to be charged to practically the same DC. voltage through an AC. voltage of 1 IO volts as through an AC. voltage of 220 volts.

The front face of the glass 4 is made of a translucent material which is colorless or colored if it is required to produce a flash in a particular color, using an electronic tube that produces flashes of white light. In'this latter case it is more advantageous for the front face 4' of the glass to be made of colorless translucent material and to insert in the glass 4 a removable disc 24 of a translucent material of the appropriate color. By this latter arrangement the color of the flashes produced can be altered as required simply by changingthe disc 24. The arrangement also enables flashes having a well defined shade of color to be obtained by placing several discs such as 24, of different colors, one behind the other in the glass 4. For certain applications, it is also possible for the front face 4' of the glass 4 or the removable disc 24, to be made of translucent material filled with a suitable fluorescent color. By making the front face 4 of the glass 4 or the disc 24 of a synthetic material having a residual brilliance, it is possible, particularly in the case of flashes of relatively low frequency (the cycle being less than the duration of the retinal persistance) not to extinguish the lamp periodically, or at least to cause it to produce a periodically modulated light-flow. On the other hand, the front face '4' of the glass 4 can be smooth or ribbed to diffuse the light. It can also take the form of an optical lens concentrating the flashes of light in one direction or on to a predetermined point; said front face may for example be a Fresnel lens, the raised portions of which are preferably obtained when the glass 4 is molded. The lateral portion 4" of the dished glass 4, which may also be made of a translucent material, is preferably provided on the outside with grooves to facilitate the screwing on and unscrewing of the glass. The toroidal sealing joint 6 ensures a perfect seal between the glass 4 and the case 1, and this enables the lamp shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 to be used particularly when submerged in a fluid, for example when illuminating fountains and the like.

The rear portion of the case is preferably of frusto-conical shape as illustrated in FIG. 2, so as to enable the lamp to be fitted in a tight manner in a tulip-shaped support, a simple tr roidal sealing ring being interposed. Y

The present invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5. The materials utilized for making the case 1 2 and the glass 4 can be of any kind, and similarly they may be of any shape other than cylindrical, i.e., polygonal square or hexagonal for example. Also the outer configuration of the case 1 can resemble in varying degrees, or not at all, one of the usual shapes of incandescent electric lamp. In one variation, a mirror, which may be concave, is placed behind the flashing tube and in particular may take the form of a metal coating applied to that side of the plate 8 of insulating material that faces the glass 4. The circuit for the relaxation oscillator contained in the flashing lamp of the present invention can likewise be different from that shown in FIG. 3 and may correspond to any one of the numerous other known relaxation oscillator circuits. The arrangement of the flashing tube and the other components of the relaxation oscillator within the case 1 can likewise be varied in numerous ways.

Such a variant is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. The electronic flashing tube) is mounted on that side of the plastics plate 8 remote from the glass 4, and the flashes produced by the emission zone of said flashing tube 9 pass through said insulating plate 8 by way of a central hole 25, the various other components of the relaxation oscillator being attached to the two sides of the insulating plate and round the hole 25 therein.

The periodically flashing electric lamp in accordance with the present invention can also be so designed that it can be fed through its cap or base with a low DC. voltage supplied for example by a battery. In this case it is sufficient to incorporate in the casing of the lamp an undulator or oscillator in series with the dry rectifier. In the case of the arrangement illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, this oscillator should be inserted for example between the leads 15 and 15' and the two poles of the cap 3. It can be fitted on a plate 8', shown in broken lines, which, together with the plate 8, constitutes a single piece.

In a further form of the periodically flashing lamp in accordance with the present invention, and one that has not been illustrated, use is made of a three-pole cap, two poles of which are used for supplying electrical energy to the relaxation oscillator, as previously described, while the third pole is used for the remotecontrol of the start-up of said relaxation oscillator, or for the remote-control of its frequency, that is to say of the frequency at which the light flashes are produced. This third pole can be used for earthing the walls of the equipment which are conducting. The first of these two possibilities is illustrated schematically and in broken lines in FIG. 3. The first two poles of the three-pole socket are always connected to two current leads 15 and 15', whereas its third pole is connected, through an insulated conductor 26 passing into the case 1, to the electrode of the spark-arrester 21 which is then no longer connected to one of the plates of the condenser 16. In this case, the production of periodical flashes of light by the lamp, fed in the normal manner, is dependent upon the closing of a switch 27, which can be situated at any required distance from the lamp, to which it is connected through a cable of appropriate length and through the corresponding socket. This switch, when in the closed position, connects said insulated conductor 26 to the pole for the source of electrical energy to which the insulated conductor 15' is connected. The remotecontrol of the frequency of the light flashes can also be achieved by fitting the lamp of the present invention with a cap comprising more than two poles, and by using the additional poles for bringing into the circuit of the relaxation oscillator contained in the lamp, a regulatable component particularly a resistor, so as to vary the time-constant of at least one of the circuits for charging the condensers 16 and 22 (FIG. 3).

The following advantages of the periodically flashing electric lamp of the present invention can be added to those already mentioned. The readiness with which its removable glass can be detached ensures that the components of the relaxation oscillator can be easily replaced, particularly the electronic flashing tube 9 and the fuse 17. The frequency of the light flashes produced is of course independent of that of the A.C. voltage supply. Since this frequency depends only upon the ratings and characteristics of the various components of the relaxation oscillator, it is possible to use the same A.C. voltage of fixed frequency to supply lamps of the invention designed to operate at frequencies that may be quite different. The above-mentioned possibility of varying the frequency at which the light flashes produced by the lamp of the invention are repeated, as a function of the changes in, for example, a resistor located outside said lamp, can be exploited to control this frequency of the light flashes by variations in very different physical phenomena which themselves produce corresponding changes in electrical resistance (thermistors, resistors that respond to humidity, etc.

One form of the periodically flashing lamp of the present invention that is particularly interesting comprises at least two flashing tubes, which produce, preferably alternately, flashes of different colors (either by their glass envelopes being differently colored, or the front face of the glass or the disc positioned behind it having a plurality of sectors of different colors). FIG. 9 illustrates by way of example the two relaxation oscillators 0 and 0' which are dephased relatively to each other and which are then associated with the two flashing tubes 9 and 9 respectively. The circuit of each corresponds to that shown in FIG. 3 except that the spark-arrester (21) is here replaced by a thyristor 28 or 28', in series with a low-rating resistor 29 or 29. These two thyristors 28 and 28' are alternately set off by way of their triggers g and g respectively by means of an astable or non-stable see-saw circuit D which, in the example illustrated, is constituted by two unijunction transistors 30 and 30. Each of these is so connected as to form, together with a condenser 31 or 31', a relaxation oscillator, these transistors being interconnected by means of the condenser 32. The see-saw circuit D is fed in parallel with the oscillators O and 0' through a rectifier 33 and a filtering condenser 34, in parallel with which is connected a Zener diode 35. The potentiometer 36 is used to adjust the time interval between two successive flashes of different colors. The reliability of the system is thus increased, since one of the two tubes is enabled to continue to function if the other should break down.

By forming a continuous array from a large number of periodically flashing electric lamps 4 in accordance'with the present invention and fitted with square or polygonal, e.g., hexagonal, glasses of the same dimensions, it is possible to form a luminous panel (a wall of light), the various light elements of which can flash independently of each other in an irregular or synchronized manner. Such light panels, the geometric form of which can be as required, can be put to numerous uses in signalling, decoration, scenic effects, etc.

lclaim:

1. An electronic flashing lamp for use by insertion in a standard electric-bulb socket, comprising a casing having a front part and a rear part, said rear part being of frusto-conical form, a neck of reduced cross section extending from said rear part, a cap connected to the end of said neck and having fastening means thereon for cooperation with a standard electric-bulb socket, a glass cover removably connected to said front part of the casing, a sealing ring disposed between the glass cover and the front part of the casing, at least one flash electronic tube located within said casing, a plurality of electrical component means located within said casing and connected to each other and to said electronic tube to form at least one relaxation oscillator, and means provided on said cap for feeding electrical energy to said oscillator from said socket.

2. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1 wherein the removable glass cover is an optical lens, the casing and the glass cover being made of a material selected from the group consisting of moulded insulating material, glass, a synthetic material and a fire-proof synthetic material.

3. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1 further comprising a plate of insulating material disposed inside the casing and normal to a longitudinal axis of said neck, means for securing said electronic flash tube to the front face of said plate and means for securing the electronic components forming the relaxation oscillators to the rear face of said plate, and a reflecting metallic deposit arranged on the front face of said insulating plate behind the flash tube.

4. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a rectifier within said casing and connected to said oscillator to permit an AC. voltage of any given frequency applied to the lamp to be rectified to supply a low DC. voltage to the oscillator and tube.

5. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising three poles associated with the cap of the lamp, means for supplying electrical energy to the relaxation oscillator through two of said poles and means for controlling the oscillator by remote-control through the third pole.

6. An illuminated panel for signalling and for decoration purposes, comprising a contiguous array of a plurality of irregularly flashing electronic lamps according to claim 1, wherein said glass covers all have the same polygonal shape and dimensions and are adapted to be tightly fitted to one another.

7. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising at least one removable disc inserted between the glass cover and the electronic tube, and made of a material selected from the group consisting of a colored translucent material, a fluorescent translucent material and a synthetic material having a residual brilliancy.

8. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of main electrodes and a priming electrode in said electronic tube, a first condenser connected to the main electrodes of the flashing tube and forming electrical energy storage means of the relaxation oscillator, and means for passing an electric impulse to the priming electrode each time the charge of said first condenser reaches a predetermined value.

9. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 8, wherein the means for feeding an electric impulse to the priming electrode of said electronic tube comprises a second condenser, a charging circuit for said second condenser, said charging circuit being connected in parallel with the first condenser, and a discharge circuit for the second condenser, said discharge circuit including a transformer connected between the second condenser and said priming electrode, and quenching means provided in said discharge circuit, and a triggering circuit connected to said quenching means and including an astable multivibrator comprising a unijunction transistor.

10. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 9, further comprising a second electronic tube for producing a flashing light of different color than said one tube, a second relaxation oscillator identical to said one oscillator and connected with said second tube said oscillators being phaseshifted the one with respect to the other and each including one each of said first and second condensers and a thyristor as its said quenching means for discharging said second condensers respectively, and wherein said astable multivibrator circuit is connected to both said thyristors for alternately triggering both said thyristors and is constituted by a second unijunction transistor, wherein each said unijunction transistor is connected to form a relaxation oscillator, and a third condenser arranged to interconnect said transistors.

k i l t t 

1. An electronic flashing lamp for use by insertion in a standard electric-bulb socket, comprising a casing having a front part and a rear part, said rear part being of frusto-conical form, a neck of reduced cross section extending from said rear part, a cap connected to the end of said neck and having fastening means thereon for cooperation with a standard electricbulb socket, a glass cover removably connected to said front part of the casing, a sealing ring disposed between the glass cover and the front part of the casing, at least one flash electronic tube located within said casing, a plurality of electrical component means located within said casing and connected to each other and to said electronic tube to form at least one relaxation oscillator, and means provided on said cap for feeding electrical energy to said oscillator from said socket.
 2. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1 wherein the removable glass cover is an optical lens, the casing and the glass cover being made of a material selected from the group consisting of moulded insulating material, glass, a synthetic material and a fire-proof synthetic material.
 3. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1 further comprising a plate of insulating material disposed inside the casing and normal to a longitudinal axis of said neck, means for securing said electronic flash tube to the front face of said plate and means for securing the electronic components forming the relaxation oscillators to the rear face of said plate, and a reflecting metallic deposit arranged on the front face of said insulating plate behind the flash tube.
 4. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a rectifier within said casing and connected to said oscillator to permit an A.C. voltage of any given frequency applied to the lamp to be rectified to supply a low D.C. voltage to the oscillator and tube.
 5. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising three poles associated with the cap of the lamp, means for supplying electrical energy to the relaxation oscillator through two of said poles and means for controlling the oscillator by remote-control through the third pole.
 6. An illuminated panel for signalling and for decoration purposes, comprising a contiguous array of a plurality of irregularly flashing electronic lamps According to claim 1, wherein said glass covers all have the same polygonal shape and dimensions and are adapted to be tightly fitted to one another.
 7. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising at least one removable disc inserted between the glass cover and the electronic tube, and made of a material selected from the group consisting of a colored translucent material, a fluorescent translucent material and a synthetic material having a residual brilliancy.
 8. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of main electrodes and a priming electrode in said electronic tube, a first condenser connected to the main electrodes of the flashing tube and forming electrical energy storage means of the relaxation oscillator, and means for passing an electric impulse to the priming electrode each time the charge of said first condenser reaches a predetermined value.
 9. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 8, wherein the means for feeding an electric impulse to the priming electrode of said electronic tube comprises a second condenser, a charging circuit for said second condenser, said charging circuit being connected in parallel with the first condenser, and a discharge circuit for the second condenser, said discharge circuit including a transformer connected between the second condenser and said priming electrode, and quenching means provided in said discharge circuit, and a triggering circuit connected to said quenching means and including an astable multivibrator comprising a unijunction transistor.
 10. An electronic flashing lamp according to claim 9, further comprising a second electronic tube for producing a flashing light of different color than said one tube, a second relaxation oscillator identical to said one oscillator and connected with said second tube said oscillators being phase-shifted the one with respect to the other and each including one each of said first and second condensers and a thyristor as its said quenching means for discharging said second condensers respectively, and wherein said astable multivibrator circuit is connected to both said thyristors for alternately triggering both said thyristors and is constituted by a second unijunction transistor, wherein each said unijunction transistor is connected to form a relaxation oscillator, and a third condenser arranged to interconnect said transistors. 